Baldwin Lake Androsace

Project description: Androsace septentrionalis is a widespread annual species, circumboreal in its distribution. It is self-pollinating and thought to be incredibly plastic across its range. In the San Bernardino Mountains, it occurs in its typical habitat atop the alpine summit of Mt. San Gorgonio, but it also occurs in a relictual alpine community at considerably lower elevations. My current hypothesis is that the Baldwin Lake populations of Androsace on the pebble plains in the San Bernardino Mountains are not conspecific with plants in the alpine zone higher up. I believe this lower elevation entity represents a new species of Androsace, possibly a result of hybridization between Androsaceseptentrionalis and A. occidentalis.

Project goals: Assess conspecificity of populations of Androsace septentrionalis in the alpine zone of the San Bernardino Mountains, on the pebble plains at lower elevations, and from elsewhere throughout its range using molecular and anatomical tools as well as common garden experiments to clarify taxonomy in the group.